Among the best components of being at Monterey Automobile Week is simply driving across the peninsula and carspotting. You’ll see the whole lot from Ferrari 250 GTOs and unrestored pre-war Bugattis to model new hypercars and one-off ideas casually sitting in site visitors or in parking heaps. It’s actually unimaginable. However this 12 months, the automobile I noticed that had me essentially the most excited was a metallic yellow electrical Cadillac.
I used to be driving via Pebble Seaside with a buddy after we handed by a parking zone hooked up to some sports activities fields, the place this Cyber Yellow Celestiq was sitting within the shade beneath some bushes. I yelped and pulled a very authorized U-turn so I may park and test it out, and fortunately the motive force, a member of the Common Motors design crew, graciously opened the automobile up and chatted with us about it.
I’ve been obsessive about the Celestiq since the near-production prototype was unveiled in 2022. I simply assume it’s an outstanding piece of design, particularly after recognizing a brilliant crimson one (with a white and blue inside!) in my lodge valet at Automobile Week final 12 months, the primary time I had seen one in particular person. Many individuals say the Celestiq simply appears to be like like a stretched Lyriq — that’s simply how a design language works, guys — however in particular person you’d by no means mistake one for the opposite. The Celestiq is big, about half a foot longer than an Escalade, and it has dramatic proportions and exaggerated lights and particulars. I really like that lengthy rear overhang, fastback form and glass hatch; the entire thing has complete French vibes. The drama is enhanced by an outrageous shade like this metallic yellow, although the Celestiq additionally appears to be like nice in darker, classier shades.
Sadly, this Celestiq had a really tame inside, with black leather-based and accents of aluminum and heat matte-finish wooden. I believe the cabin nonetheless appears to be like fairly particular even on this fundamental spec, but it surely’s a lot better suited to a brighter shade scheme with extra distinction. You really want the screens to be on to get the total impact, too. However whilst a prototype in a less-than-ideal spec and setting, all of it appears to be like very nicely completed.
The Celestiq additionally sounds very cool. I’m all for EVs getting synthetic noises, whether or not they be aping an inside combustion motor or a sci-fi spaceship, and at low speeds the Celestiq emits a pedestrian-warning sound that’s distinct and recognizable. It’s type of like a sound bathtub, or a frequency made by a theremin, and I believe it fits the design ethos of the automobile nicely.
Sadly, I’ve solely seen this yellow one and that crimson one final 12 months, regardless of Cadillac having practically half a dozen driving round Monterey this 12 months and others getting proven off at numerous occasions over the previous few years. Earlier in the summertime I missed a neon inexperienced check automobile in downtown Detroit by 5 minutes, and that information practically ruined my journey. It’s laborious to consider the final new automobile that I’ve yearned to identify this a lot.
As soon as deliveries of the $340,000 Celestiq start later this 12 months, it’ll stay a uncommon sight, although hopefully residing near Beverly Hills I’ll see greater than most individuals. Cadillac says it might probably solely hand-build a pair Celestiqs per day at its Technical Heart in Warren, Michigan, figuring out to just some hundred annually. Every one will probably be completely bespoke by way of spec, too. For example of the customization potential, one buyer, knowledgeable athlete, had their participant quantity engraved all through the automobile, in accordance with Automobile and Driver. And earlier than you say “who’s gonna spend that a lot on an costly electrical Cadillac,” the primary 18 months of manufacturing had been already bought out by the top of 2022.
Again within the Fifties via the ‘70s, Cadillac was recognized for gigantic, ostentatious automobiles like the long-lasting Eldorado Biarritz, which was slathered in chrome and wild design components like tail fins and rocket-esque bumpers. The 1959 Biarritz value $7,401 when new, virtually 4 instances the typical value of a brand new automobile that 12 months. I see the Celestiq as being in the identical vein as these classics. It’s large, it’s controversial, it’s costly, it’s showy, it’s unimaginable to mistake for the rest — therefore why Cadillac introduced again its Goddess mascot for the automobile. Positive, I want Cadillac would have made automobiles like the Sixteen and Ciel, however we must be blissful the Celestiq exists. It’s an idea made actual, precisely the kind of flagship that I believe Cadillac wants.
The Celestiq isn’t the one such flagship automobile that Cadillac is engaged on, both. At Automobile Week it unveiled the Sollei, a two-door convertible based mostly on the Celestiq with an inside produced from mushrooms. Whereas billed as only a idea, it appears to be like like Cadillac may simply put it into manufacturing — one of many advantages of utilizing a skateboard EV platform. Past simply with the ability to, it looks like Cadillac needs to start out promoting limited-run automobiles just like the Sollei, as evidenced by it being introduced across the peninsula to impress potential consumers. One morning, it was proudly parked in my lodge’s valet, getting simply as a lot consideration because the Bugattis throughout from it.
